Metallic railway tie and fastening.



No. 892,094. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

F. J. SLENKER, DEGD.

0.11. SLBNKEE, ADMIHISTBATBIX.

v V cfla wn w mm UNITED STATES PATENT CLARA E. SLENKER, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ADMINISTRATRIXOF FREDERICK .T. SLENKER, DECEASED.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE AND FASTENING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1907.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Serial No. 370,813.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that FREDERICK J. SLENKER, late of Beaver Falls, Beaver county, Pennsylvania, invented a new and useful Metallic Railway Tie and Fastening, of which the fo1- lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, forming part of this specihcation,

in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a metallic railway tie and rail fastening embodying the in vention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, showing a modified form of clamp; and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the tie and fastening of *Fig. 3.

This invention is designed to provide an improved metallic railway tie having means of simple and positive character for securing the rails thereto, and which will permit the rails to be readily and easily adjusted to any desired gage.

With this object in view the invention consists in a metallic railway tie and rail fastening having certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafter described.

Referring to the accom anying drawings, the numeral 2 designates t e body ortion of the improved tie which is referab y a casting of steel or iron of hol ow or box form, with a longitudinal slot or opening 3 in its top extending from end to end thereof, and forming the separated top flanges 4. The inner edge portions of these flanges are formed on their upper surfaces with a series of teeth 5. These teeth preferably extend the entire length of the tie, so that the same tie can be used where several rails would cross it, as in yards, at frogs, etc. although they may be provided at each end portion only. The body of the tie is also preferably rovided with the lateral vertical ribs or proections 6, and with transverse bottom projections 6 which serve as anchoring or resisting means to prevent movement of the tie in the direction of the rails or transversely of the track.

7 designates the rails which are seated on the top flanges 4 of the tie, and are secured thereto by means of the clamps or clips 7 which consist of small blocks arranged to fit over the bottom flanges of the rails and provided with teeth 8 on their under sides which are adapted to engage with the teeth 5, and thereby hold the clam s securely against movement. They are lbcked in place by means of the nuts 9 engaging the threaded bolts.9, said nuts having a bearing against the under side of the flanges 4, in the manner shown in Fig. 2. By loosening these nuts, the rails can be readily moved nearer together or farther apart, and the clamps then secured in their new adjustment.

In order to give greater resiliency, seats or depressions 4 are preferably formed in' the top flanges 4 in which are placed strips 8 of wood, rubber, or other more or less yielding material, upon which the bases of the rails are seated.

The clamps or clips may be of various forms; thus 1n Figs. 3 and 4, instead of securing them by means of nuts, the de ending portion which passes through the s 0t 3 is provided with apivoted locking dog 10 which is arranged to be swung transversely to engage the under side of the flanges 4, in the manner shown. This dog is held in position by means of a locking arm or lever 11 which is pivoted to the clamp at 12 and has a recess 18 which fits over the dog, in the manner shown in Fig. 4. One edge of the dog is preferably beveled, as shown at 14, so that as the lever is moved into and out of its locking position, its engagement with this bevel edge will throw or partially throw the dog 10 into and out of its transverse locking position. This form of clamp is provided with teeth 8 for engagement with the teeth 5 of the tie, in the same manner as the clamp shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and permits the same facility for rail adjustment. I

The bottom of the interior of the tie is preferably inclined downwardly from the center towards each end, so that the ties will readily drain themselves. The countersunk heads of the bolts 9 are also preferably protected by means of pivoted cap plates 9 The advantages of this invention result from the novel form of the tie described, whereby it can be cast in a mold and which gives it a broad bearing upon the track bed, substantially equal to that of the ordinary wooden tie. The provision of the lateral and bottom ribs or projections ellectually prevents movement or creeping of the tie, while the manner in which the clamps are engaged with the tie insures the rails being held in place, no matter at What angle they may cross the tie, while at the same time their adjustment is made. easy.

Other forms of clamps may be employed, and various changes may be made in the de tails of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A metallic railway tie of hollow boX form having a longitudinal slot or opening in its top provided with teeth or projections at its edges said teeth or projections extending throughout a major portion at least of the length of the tie; substantially as described.

2. A metallic railway tie, of hollow-box form, closed at the bottom and having a longitudinal slot in its top wall throughout the length of the tie, and teeth or projections adjacent to each edge of the slot for a major portion at least of its length; substantially as described.

3. A metallic railway tie of hollow boX form closed at the bottom having a longitudinal slot extending through the length of its top, and also having teeth or projections at each edge of the slot, rail clamps arranged to engage the bases of the rails, and having teeth or projections adapted to engage the teeth or projections of the tie, and means for locking said clamps; substantially as de scribed.

4. A metallic railway tie having a longitudinal slot in its top and having teeth or projections on its upper surface adjacent to the edges of the slot, a rail clamp adapted to en gage the base flange of a rail, and having corresponding teeth or projections on its under surface, said clamp also having a depend ing portion arranged to slide in said slot, and means for locking the clamp; substantially as described.

5. A metallic railway tie having longitudinal depressions formed in its upper surface, and resilient rail-seating'members in said depressions; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CLARA E. SLENKER, Administmzmix of Frederick J. Slenlcer, de-

ceased.

Witnesses:

JAMES M. WERTZ, WILLIAM PAFF. 

